


Jonathan Crane: closet Mindreader

by cockabeetle, Kymopoleia



Category: DCU
Genre: But otherwise his backstory is much the same, Jon can read minds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-03
Updated: 2014-12-11
Packaged: 2018-02-15 23:47:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2247936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cockabeetle/pseuds/cockabeetle, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kymopoleia/pseuds/Kymopoleia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jason bites his lip, and his eyes widen as if he's just seen Jesus, fucked William Shakespeare, and eaten six scorpions all at once. Jesus because, damn, Jon being a mind reader made sense and explained a lot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> AU prompt about mindreaders grew into a surprisingly large thing  
> This will def have Jon/Jay but there might be some Jon/Jay/Eddie in there too
> 
> it started as something i was gonna write alone but then WelcomeToTheHouseOfCards is the best at writing Jason so, that's why Jon spends the first bit monologuing.

For as long as Jon could remember, he'd been able to hear other people's thoughts. He thinks his mother could, too. It took him a while to realise it was unusual to be able to, actually. Until after his mother died in a car crash and he was moved to his Grandmother's. She yelled at him, and he learned to control it. Or face her wrath. Except, he faced her wrath either way, because she seemed to hate him. Well, she didn't seem to hate him. She definitely hated him. He knows she has something planned, but he can't delve deeper into her mind without her knowing and punishing him for it. So he avoids thinking about it. It's not until the next summer he learns what her plan was.  
He gets plenty of nicknames, for his scrawny, lanky frame, the two most notable being Ichabod and Scarecrow. When he reads the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, he was inspired by the character's dancing ability, even if he hated that Ichabod was a coward. Jon swore never to be scared into submission, by bullies or otherwise, again. In highschool, he develops a crush on a girl, but she has a boyfriend. He gets up the courage to ask her to the Halloween Dance of his senior year, and is ecstatic when she says yes. It never occured to him to read her mind for her intentions. So when she takes him out back he doesn't question her, and when her Boyfriend chases him around with a pumpkin and smashes it against the back of Jon's head, Jon swears his revenge. The night of senior prom, he dresses up in what will eventually become his Scarecrow costume, and attacks their car with the intent to scare them. He causes their car to crash, and the girl dies. Her boyfriend was paralyzed. Jon feels accomplished, he won't have to worry about them ever again. He learned he loved scaring people, it was something he enjoyed immensely. After highschool, Jonathan went to Gotham University and got a doctorate in Psychology. He also looked into Chemistry and developed a hallucinogen that induced fear, usually the victim's greatest fear. Jonathan used it on his professor, who dismissed the importance of studying fear, which led to his death. Jon took his place as the professor of Psychology, but was eventually dismissed after shooting a gun in the classroom. It nearly took out one of his student's eyes. After that, he transfered to Arkham Asylum to be a psychologist. He practiced fear-inducing experiments on his patients. He hid his mindreading abilities from his colleagues, and would use them to help deduce the subject's worst fear. Eventually he becomes the subject of Batman's scrutiny and is labeled criminally insane, and confined to the Asylum he spent years working as a doctor in. He finds it midly ironic. No one alive knows of his abilities, his Grandmother had died of a heartattack shortly after his 20th birthday.  
It's a few years later, his roommate and their neighbors, Edward, Todd, and Impleti, are at lunch, and Jonathan had let himself relax as he ate. His mind wanders, and catches a tail-end of a thought, which he follows to Todd's head. Todd, who was... oh my.  


Jason Todd was attracted to pretty much everyone at the table around him. This was a problem, considering he'd fought every one of them atleast once, and atleast all of them have held him hostage atleast once. This realization had started with the flower in Pamela Isley's tangled red hair.  
He'd started thinking about her hair. It was nice, incredibly red and prettier than he could honestly fathom, just like her. Then he started thinking about Harley, and the curl of her lips when she laughed, but he stopped before even looking at the bastard next to her. He considers the rest. Jonathon Crane and Eddie are his roommates, as well as the knitting guy. And they're all attractive. Eddie, oh, the words that could leave his mouth if Jason had a few minutes alone with him. As for the knitting guy? Nothing. But then, Jon. Oh, Jon. Jason had a thing for people taller than him, like Bruce. And Dick. And girls in heels. And girls who can *fly*, like Kori and Donna and Kara. And anyone who can kick his ass with their own tied behind him. But Jon? He's smart as hell, tall, and Jason would lay money down on the fact that he is attractive. And he is looking at Jason. Pam is looking at Jason. Eddie glances at Jason.  
*If you are a mind reader, cough once, like right fucking now* He thinks hard, looking around their friends nervously.  


Jon's ears had tinged pink, and he coughs, choking on the salad he'd been eating. There were things he hadn't meant and most definitely should not have seen or heard inside Jason's head.  


Jason's eyes lock on him. *If you're a mind reader, drink some of your juice.*  


Jon takes a sip of his juice, coughing a bit more. He glances away, ears still burning. He silently wills the others to look away, and thankfully everyone but Edward does.  


Jason bites his lip, and his eyes widen as if he's just seen Jesus, fucked William Shakespeare, and eaten six scorpions all at once. Jesus because, damn, Jon being a mind reader made sense and explained a lot. Shakespeare because it was kind of hot, it took all of the worry out of subbing in sex. Not that he expected to be having sex with Jon, he adds the last part. But still. And the scorpions because Jon is hearing everything.  


Jon's ears burn redder, and he coughs again. Eddie turns to him and stares unabashed, poking his shoulder. The twat doesn't even bother asking if Jon is alright.  


*Cough if you promise to talk to me about this shit later, Jon* Jason thinks hurriedly.  


Jon coughs, hacking a few times. Eddie pats his back, and manages to look both amused and slightly worried. Then the idiot hands Jon his inhaler, which... actually that's quite helpful, for someone who doesn't understand exactly what's going on.  


Jason nods, blushing a bit, and stands to take his plate to the trash and try not to think about Jon coughing, for any reason.  


Jon uses the inhaler, because he might trigger an attack if he keeps coughing like this anyway. After that he tells Eddie to do as he please, because Jon has lost his patience for interacting with others. He retreats to his room, and waits.  


It takes Jason an hour to make it to Jon. He sits next to him, hands clasped tightly on his knees. "Uh."  


Jon had grabbed a book, and had gotten halfway through before Jason arrived. Eddie and Impleti were nowhere to be seen, which was good. "Yes?" He asked, pretending his ears weren't still red.  


"You heard me, at lunch, right?"  


"...Yes."  


"Huh. How?"  


Jon shrugs. "You hit the nail on the head with your question, earlier. I suspect there aren't many people who would notice. Your thoughts were... rather graphic. They caught my attention." Jon's ears burned a bit more, and he buried his nose further into his book.  


"They were mostly about you." Jason admits. "Also Ivy's hair."  


Jon hums. He avoids eye contact like a pro.  


"Uh. Any thoughts?" Jason asks.  


Jon snorts. "Several."  


"Shoot" Jason replies, nudging his shoulder.  


Jon sighs, and glances at the younger male out of the corner of his eye. "Well, for starters, you are the only living person who knows, and I would like to keep it that way."  


"Done. I can do that." Jason nods.  


"Second, Edward is not an idiot and if you cause me to do that again he's going to notice the pattern."  


"Fine. Next?"  


Jonathan sighed. "I'm in unfamiliar territory."  


"I just want to say, I know the situation is weird and fucked up." Jason says.  


Jonathan raises an eyebrow. "Which part? Is it the part where one of us is criminally insane, or is it both? Is it the part where the last time one of us was in a situation even remotely involving romance resulted in the death of a girl and the paralyzation of her boyfriend? Is it the part where one of us can read minds, because that one seems kinda tame."  


"You've tried to kill me before. And you've held me hostage and hopped me up on that fear gas of yours before. And you're attractive despite that. By the way, the mind reading part is not fucked up." Jason is babbling. Jason needs to smoke.  


Jon snorts. "I've experimented on most of the inmates in this asylum. I worked here, or did you forget?" He frowns. "And the toxin isn't that bad, it used to be much worse. Addictive."  


Jason snorts. "Is that what got you into this mess? It being addictive?"  


"What got me into this mess was a pathological obsession with fear stemming from childhood trauma and an unfortunate nickname."  


"Childhood trauma?" Jason asks. "You tell me yours, I'll tell you mine."  


"My father left before I was born, my mother died in a car crash when I was 8. My Grandmother dressed me head to toe in a suit doused with what amounts to crow bait and threw me into a crow-infested chapel to be pecked to death multiple times from then until I left for highschool."  


"My father worked for Harvey Dent, and when he went to jail he never came back for me or my mo-" Jason coughs. "His wife. She got addicted to crack, and I was left trying to pay to keep us alive. She didn't make it. B took me in after I stole his tires, and I became Robin. Then, of course, that disgusting asshole used my mom to kill me." Jason sighed. "Came back, was brain dead for a while, then the league revived me. That's my trauma, but I'm sure you knew about the dying part."  


Jon snorts. "That's common knowledge. If we want to examine how I started making the toxin, that would be in college, though my first use of the Scarecrow costume was in highschool."  


Jason nodded. "Always thought the creepy costume couldn't be something you did this late."  


"It seemed like a good idea at the time." Jon huffs.  


"Oh, it was fuckin' brilliant." Jason defends. "But it always seemed like the kind of thing a depressed high school student made at three am on a Sunday so he could get back at someone who was doing shitty things to him. And it worked, Jon."  


"It was very effective."  


Jason laughed. "Yeah, it was. Still is. Doesn't hurt that half the city is terrified of teens and anything associated, they think they're out for their money."  


Jonathan snorts.  


"Totally serious right now. Once you attacked a bank, can't remember why, and when Batman and Robin, that was me at the time, six different old, fat, white guys screamed when they saw me, begged me to leave their retirement funds alone."  


Jonathan laughs, startled.  


"I think you heard one of 'em and started laughing then too. But your laughs sounded like the Joker's at the time because I'd had a huge dose of your shit."  


Jonathan smiles apologetically. "I can't control what the toxin shows you."  


"I know, Jon." Jason smiles back. "Still."  


Jonathan nods. "I'm not sure how to feel about being nearly immune to it, now."  


"Maybe make a new toxin. Play around with it? See what new things you can do. What if you made a toxin that got a person's least favorite song stuck in their head, or one that makes people depressed. I get that fear is your thing, but maybe something new would be interesting to mess with."  


Jonathan snorts. "I'd need to have access to state-of-the-art chemistry equipment and ingredients and such. Not something I have"  


"When we get out, I have a shitload of safe houses and all of them have what you need."  


Jonathan raises an eyebrow. "You would trust me with the location one of your safe-houses?"  


"I have plenty." Jason assures him. "I never said it had to be in Gotham, either. There's a good couple in Kansas, atleast twenty scattered over Europe, I have my bases covered."  


Jonathan whistles.  


Jason laughs. "Wait till you see them. My favorite has these long white marble countertops, and all the furniture is in pastels, and everything is so damn neat."  


Jonathan hums. "Most of my lairs do not have much to them. I'm lucky if I have table space. And there are no birds nesting in it."  


"Well," Jason laughs. "My safe houses usually have baby birds nesting. Once I walked into one to find Tim- Red Robin- asleep on the couch."  


Jonathan snorts.  


Jason grins back. "So, am I a level four friend now that I know everything?"  


"You don't know everything quite yet. You know more than Edward, though."  


"Then I am a level four friend." Jason confirmed.  


Jonathan snorts.  


Jason leans over, bumping shoulders with Jon. "So."  


"Yes?"  


"Your backstory doesn't make you less attractive. Dunno if that's what you were going for."  


Jonathan side-eyes him. "You have very odd priorities."  


"Oddly enough, not the first time I've heard that."  


Jonathan snorts.  


"So. We've talked about your past and my past and you've tried to convince me not to find you attractive. What now? Because I assure you, I am hot as fuck."  


"I told you I am in unfamiliar territory. The last time I got asked out ended with a large pumpkin smashed over the back of my head."  


"Well, I don't even like pumpkins, so that's not a concern." Jason stretches.  


Jonathan huffs. "I'm sure. If you plan to take this anywhere you're going to have to lead me. I hate that I'm telling this to a man at least 10 years younger than me, but I am also not surprised."  


Jason laughed. "Well, what kind of lead do you want me take. Romantic, or something else?"  


"I've told you all of my romantic history, what do you think?"  


"Well." Jason shrugged. "Still your choice."  


"I'm open to whatever you wish to do, I'm not very picky." He flips a page in his book. "Though I wonder how Edward will react."  


"How Edward will react to what?"  


Jason bit his lip as he looked up at Eddie. "Hey."  


Eddie tilted his head, eyes narrowed. Jonathan flipped another page, as if he hadn't heard the other enter.  


Jason swallowed and looked at the ground. He wondered if it would be a bad idea to go.  


Eddie frowned. "Jonny, explain."  


"You can figure it out on your own, can't you? You're always going on about being a genius, what's one more riddle to solve?"  


Jason looks between them. Is this a good idea? He'd always gotten the vibe that Eddie liked Jon. A lot.  


Eddie pouted. "But..."  


Jon went back to his book, crossing his legs. He'd pulled his mind back into his own head at some point, and as such was not hearing anyone else's thoughts.  


"Eddie, you can do it." Jason replied. "Can't you? Riddles, they're your shit."  


"I need more clues, you're not giving me enough to go on!" Eddie whined. Jonathan huffed.  


"Think." Jason rolled his eyes.  


Eddie crossed his arms, pouting. Jonathan flipped another page.  
"The only thing I can think of is you asked Jonny out, but that wouldn't happen ever because he's Jonny."  


"Wow, real stroke of faith you have in your friend." Jason replied sarcastically.  


"Jonny doesn't let people close! Like, it's taken me five years, five, just to get to call him Jonny without getting glared at anymore! Five!"  


Jason glanced at Jon. He'd only really been close to him for what, two years, three? And he already knew his backstory. Huh.  


Jonathan flips another page, humming softly. Jason had a slight advantage over Edward; Jason didn't go out of his way that first year to piss Jonathan off.  


Jason leans over the side of the bed to grab another book. He doesn't look at the title, just flips it open halfway.  
J 

onathan glances over. "...Are you really going to read my journal on fears?"  


"Is that what this is?" Jason shows him the current page, a description of one man's fear of naked women and how, when even given small doses, every person he saw began to look like naked women. There was even a small picture in the corner.  


Jonathan nodded. "It started as my thesis paper. I kept it to keep notes on newer test subjects."  


"Huh. What's your favorite fear you've heard of? Or favorite subject?"  


"My favorite was my professor, he had Agoraphobia, like you, and Ailurophobia. He was also the inspiration of and the first victim I used for my toxin."  


Jason nodded. "Two things. Am I a field day, with how much shit I'm terrified of?"  


"Yes." No sense denying it.  


"Fun." Jason smiled, even though he remembered the toxins- it was like spinning a wheel of misfortune.  


Jonathan shrugged. "I only have two, now. I used to fear much more."  


"Like?" Jason prompts. He's curious, sue him.  


"Ornithophobia, the other is private." Jonathan opens his book again. "Though my list of original fears should be in that journal. Under 'Ichabod', I believe."  


Jason flips through the book until he finds it. "Hm." He reads through it. "What's Ornithophobia, by the way?"  


"Irrational fear of birds."  


"It's not exactly irrational. If I went through what you did, I'd be petrified of them."  


Eddie glanced up, confused. Jonathan smiles slightly. "To be honest I was more scared of my grandmother. I danced on her grave when I heard she died, though."  


Jason chuckled. "Must have been a sight."  


Eddie's eyes narrowed, and he frowned. Jonathan's smiles widens a little, and he ducks his head.  
J 

ason looked back at the journal. "What's this one, the one with the doodle of a tree next to it?"  


Jonathan glances over. "There's no official name of it, but it refers to a fear of hanging, and of nooses. Funny, nowadays I parade around with one around my neck."  


Jason muffles a laugh by covering his mouth with a hand. "Adds to the aesthetic. You look even more terrifying with the noose, when I first saw you I thought you were a ghost. And, of course, I'm scared of ghosts. Ironic."  


"You could qualify as one, technically" Jonathan notes.  


"That's why it's ironic. Were you ever scared of ghosts?"  


"I was scared of just about everything, once upon a time. Now I've nearly lost the ability to feel fear in general."  


"Gotta feel pretty nice. Not being scared of everything. But I can see how it would be shitty, you get overconfident if you don't have something holding you back."  


Jonathan shrugged. "Plus there's the added bit of being addicted to a toxin that causes fear, and being unable to experience the effects of it because of long-term exposure."  


"Damn. And you willingly try to poison the entirety of Gotham with it on a regular basis because?"  


"I like watching others experience it. The doses I use on others cause them to die of fright, plus the addictive properties of the toxin are all but gone, now. I've changed the formula too much."  


"Would it be too much to ask to tone it down a bit? The doses, I mean. I understand the fear studying thing. But dying," he sighs. "Fuck, I sound like B. Hate that."  


Jonathan nods. "I don't have anything planned, and really I try not to put too much gas in confined spaces, watching heart attacks caused by fear gets boring after a while."  


Jason nods. "Good. Thanks." He's almost forgotten Eddie watching them.  


Eddie had taken off his glasses, and was unabashedly staring. Jonathan glanced at him, and raised an eyebrow.  


ason looks back at the fear journal once he realizes the pair are staring at each other.  


Eddie's eyebrows go up, and Jon simply keeps his expression.  


Jason pretends to be extremely interested in Jon's fears.  


Eddie glances at Jason, and scrunches his eyebrows. Jon goes back to his book.  


Jason sets the fear journal down to mess with his nails.  


Eddie sighs, and crosses his legs. "I'm not sure exactly what's going on, but..."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the doll is from the knitter  
> its his foolproof plan of seduction  
> who is he seducing?  
> nobody knows.

Jason's own eyebrows went up. He waited for Eddie to say something. He didn't exactly know what was going on either, but he knew that Jon was willing to try.  
Eddie started to respond, but Jonathan cut him off. "That makes two of us," he glances at Jason, "perhaps three." Eddie's eyebrows scrunched together, and he frowned in confusion.  
"I'm waiting for you to tell me what you want." Jason says.  
"I told you I'm open to whatever."  
"Where does your wherever end?"  
"You'll know."  
Jason huffs and crosses his arms. "Tells me nothing."   
Eddie frowns. Jonathan hums. "I don't particularly care, at the moment."  
Part of Jason wants to groan, part of him wants to grab Jon by the face and kiss him. But, someone appears at the door to their cell and sets a small figurine on the ground. Immediately it hobbles towards Eddie. Jason isn't sure, but he thinks it may be made of yarn.  
There's a scythe in it's hands, and what's probably supposed to be a burlap mask for a face. Jon stares a little, and Eddie blinks at it. The door closes.  
The doll climbs up to Eddie. Jason bites his lip.  
Eddie pokes the doll. Jon's book falls out of his hands.   
Jason's hand finds Jon's, to squeeze it reassuringly. The doll explores Eddie's thigh.  
Eddie pulls it up to examine the scythe, and finds that there's actually a metal blade embedded in the yarn. Jonathan.exe has stopped working.  
Jason tugged on Jon's hand, thinking as loudly as he can manage. *Jon? Wake up. Like now.*  
Jonathan didn't respond. Eddie had grabbed one of the doll's hands, and was surprised to find there weren't needles in the fingertips. He was a little thankful, actually.  
Jason let go of Jon's hand, and pointed at Eddie's doll. "What exactly is it?"  
Eddie glances over. "Can't you tell? It's Jonny."  
"Bit hard to see." Jason shrugs.  
Eddie turns the doll toward Jason, showing off the mask and noose around its neck. "I'd think it was obvious. Jonny can tell" He nods at Jon, who still looks like he's rather shell shocked.   
"Jon is in shock." Jason observes.  
Eddie nods a little, and makes to position the doll, only to have it break away and walk over to Jason.  
Jason watches it as it crosses the once-white tile floors to get to him.  
It levels the scythe at Jon's nose. Jon blinks a couple times, and leans back.  
Jason picks the doll up carefully.  
The doll doesn't take its eyes off Jon, but the scythe is lowered. Jon frowns worriedly.  
Jason taps it's head.   
It turns toward him, and tilts its head.   
Jason smiles at it. "Yo."  
It pokes Jason's cheek with the blunt, knitted side of the scythe.   
Jason smiled, and tapped it's head again. "Nice scythe."  
It swats at his hand, and Jon seems to be calming down. Eddie tilts his head.  
"Wanna go back to Eddie?"  
The doll points at Jon with its scythe.   
"What about him?" Jason cocks an eyebrow up.  
It swipes at Jon, who leans out of the way of it.  
Jason frowns, tapping the doll's head. "No, don't do that." Jason frowns harder. "Doll, Scarecrow. No. Scare. Yeah, no. Don't do that."  
The doll crosses its arms, pouting. Jon picks his book back up.  
Jason coddles the doll, then sent it on it's way to Eddie.  
The doll immediately turns toward Jon.   
"Scare no." Jason chastises.  
It points the scythe at Jason.  
"Sure." Jason smiles at it.  
The doll throws its hands up and walks toward Jon again. Jon scoots away.  
Jason picks the doll up and pulls it back. "No."  
The doll swipes at Jason, fed up with being stopped.  
Jason laughs again, spinning the doll to face him. "Why not go back to Eddie?"  
It makes to stamp its foot, were its feet touching the ground. Eddie sighs. "Just let him do what he wants, Jay. He's getting pissy."  
"Fine." Jason sets the doll down.  
The doll walks to Jon, who lowers his book. The doll seems to glare, even if its face doesn't/can't move.  
Jason bites his lip, waiting to see what happens.   
It points at Jon with the scythe. Jon frowns.  
Jason reaches out to pull the doll back, but stops.  
Jon whaps it on top of the head with his book.  
Jason frowns at Jon.  
"What?" He glances over, which is how the doll uses its scythe to cut him, not that he notices.  
"Jon!" Jason grabs his hand , pulling it up and away from the doll. "Eddie, get your doll."  
Jon frowns. "What- oh." He pulls his hand back from Jason, studying it. Eddie stands up, pulling the doll back and tugging the scythe a bit.  
Jason tugs the hand back. "Jon."  
Jon sighs. "What?"  
"You ok?"  
"I'm fine." He says, as blood oozes out of his hand.  
"Don't look ok." Jason rolls his eyes.  
"I *feel* fine, then." Jon clarified.  
"Jon." Jason narrowed his eyes. "C'mon."  
Eddie speaks up; "Jonny has trouble feeling pain"  
"I think I was aware of that?" Jason says.   
"He likes studying how his blood flows, it's actually really creepy" Eddie adds. Jon pulls his hand back.  
Jason sighed. "Jon."  
Jon huffs, and glances at his hand, attention caught. Eddie snickers. "Just let him do his thing, Hoody. You can't teach an old dog new tricks."  
"You can teach an old crow anything." Jason mumbled under his breath as he stood. He wasn't sure what the right nickname for Jon was, so he just went with the first thing he thought of, momentarily forgetting Jon's past.   
Jon flinches, and Eddie glances over. The doll points accusingly.  
Jason blinks, then curses. "Shit, Jon, 'm sorry."  
Jon crosses his arms. and Eddie frowns in confusion.  
"Wasn' thinking." Jason says. "Sorry."  
Jon sighs. "It's fine."  
Jason felt really bad. He'd said something dumb, and now he had nothing to think about except Jon and the comment. After three days of brooding over it, Jason sits next to Jon at lunch and slides him an extra jello.  
Jon had been eating his salad in silence. Eddie had eventually convinced him to get his hand bandaged. He'd been more startled than hurt by Jason's comment, but had let it go rather quickly. He was a little confused by the gift of Jell-O, considering he didn't particularly like most confections.  
Jason smiles at him, going back to eating the awful food.  
Jon blinks, and shrugs it off after a minute. Eddie steals the Jell-O, not that Jon minds.  
Lunch drags on forever until Jason says something. "So."  
Jon glances over. "Hm?"  
"Are you mad at me, or am I safe?"  
"I haven't gotten mad at you yet."  
"You haven't?" Jason is surprised. "Huh."  
Jon nods a little and sips his juice.  
Jason sighs in relief and takes a bite of the mystery casserole.  
Jon contines eating, and Eddie tilts his head in confusion. The scarecrow doll has taken the Jell-O and is now trying to figure out how it works.  
Jason takes a sip of his juice. "So, who all has group therapy next?"  
Eddie glances at Ivy. "We just go whenever we feel like it, right?"  
Jason blinks. "Really? Huh."  
Eddie nods. "We don't really care what the official list says, we just go whenever with whoever. Jonny, were you going today?"  
Jon grunts.  
Jason nods. "I could go. The therapist promised me books." And by books he meant trashy romance novels.  
Eddie nods. "I could always take the opportunity to talk about myself."  
"Jon?" Jason looks at him.   
Jon nods a little, still absent-mindedly eating his salad.  
"So you'll come to therapy. And reduce the therapist to tears? Or was that a once time gig?"  
Eddie snorts. "Let's just say we usually let Jonny go last."   
Jason snorts. "Good, I want that book."  
The bell signaling lunch is over rings, and Jon gets up to dispose of his leftovers. Eddie rescues the Jell-O from little scarecrow.  
Jason throws away the rest of his food, and yawns. "So, Eddie."  
Eddie glances up from his Jell-O, little scarecrow perched on his shoulder.  
"Got any plans for later on?" Jason asks.  
"Not really, unless you mean the whole therapy thing. I'm pretty content right now."  
Jason nods. "Okay. I meant, like when you get out of here."  
"Well, me and Jonny almost always get an apartment, but beyond a little thing I've been planning on and off for a few years now, nothing."  
Jason nods. "Good luck on it."  
Eddie smiles, and nods. "Thanks."  
Jason smiles back.  
Jon is standing near the door, waiting for them.  
Jason looks up at him. "Hey."   
Jon nods at him, and Eddie takes the lead. "To therapy!"  
Jason follows, next to Jon. He doesn't know what to say.  
Eddie walks a foot or so ahead, humming loudly to himself. Jon walks silently, cleaning his glasses absently.  
Jason hears a muffled "Yahtzee!" in the background, and runs a hand through his hair. "So," he says quietly.  
"Yes?"  
"About what we were talking about before Eddie interrupted a few days ago,"  
"Mmhmm?"  
"What are we going to do?  
Jon shrugs.  
"Do you know what you want?"  
Jon shakes his head. "My experience is limited."  
"Okay."  
Jon hums. They make it to therapy, and Eddie opens the door with a smile.  
Jason smiles at the therapst, who hands him a bag of books.   
Jon sits on the couch, and Eddie perches on the arm rest next to him.  
Jason sits on the other side of the couch. After a few minutes and three other people, the therapist claps his hands. "Hello."  
"Hi!" Eddie smiles. Jon crosses his legs, humming.  
The therapist nods. "So, what would everyone like to talk about?" A girl raises her hands and suggests the topic of him fucking himself. He moves on. "Anyone else?"  
"Me!" Eddie crows.  
The therapist smiles. "Yes, Mr. Nigma?"  
"We should talk about me!"  
"Alright, let's talk about you. What do you want to say?"  
"I'm a genius and we should acknowledge that more."  
"Alright." The therapist sounds less enthused. "Start the conversation, tell us about yourself."  
"My name is Edward Nygma and I am the smartest man in the room. I also have the highest IQ as well." Eddie preens, and Jon grunts, he's heard that before.


	3. Chapter 3

Jason pulls on the pair of jeans he'd been brought to arkham in, whistling a tune. He isn't sure who needed him, but he's been called to duty. He's shrugging on the leather jacket when he steps out of the bathroom, grinning broadly at his savior- Tim. "Pretender!" He exclaims, opening up his arms.

Tim huffs, but there's a smile on his face. "Hey, Jason."

Jason wraps his arms around Tim, hugging him tightly. "You still look like a prick, congrats!"

"You look like a gorilla. As always."

Jason pulled back to press a sloppy kiss to Tim's cheek. "You know I always look like shit after staying in Arkham. No razors to shave in there." He ran a hand over his chin, which is annoyingly scratchy. Only the last inch of his hair is still black, with the rest faded to a more natural color. "Let's start leaving, and telling me exactly what you need me for."

Tim nods a little, rolling his shoulders. "There's a drug running ring in the harbor, and I need your help. clearly."

Jason nodded. "They selling to kids?"

Tim nods a little, frowning. "Yeah."

Jason cracked his knuckles. "Take me to thirty first and Finch, I've got a safe house in that complex."

Tim nods again. "Kay."

"You in the bike or?"

"Yes."

Jason wrapped an arm around Tim's shoulders. "You just want to cozy up to me."

"My choices were the redbird and a car I know you can't fit in."

"I can always curl up in the trunk, it wouldn't be the first time."

Tim shook his head. "No. Do you know how long it would take to wash out that smell?"

"Do you know how little I care? I've effectively been in prison."

Tim nods. "I know. Will you just hurry up and get out the door now? The redbird is waiting. And it's raining."

Jason nodded, and began moving. "Am I driving or you?"

"Do you _really_ think I'm going to let you drive my motorcycle?"

"I'm good enough, and I know where we're going." Jason protested as he stepped out into the rain.

"I don't let Bruce touch her, I don't let Dick look at her, why the hell would I let you drive her?"

"Because you adore me and I'm your favorite to stalk and mimic?" Jason proposed.

Tim's eyes narrowed further. "If you so much as scuff her paint, I will kill you slowly."

Jason laughed, hugging Tim again. "Thank you pretender, she'll come out of this the same way she came in!" He reached into the pocket of his jeans to pull out the pair of gloves. He straddled the bike, and looked up at Tim, unable to keep the smile off his face.

Tim nods. "Uh-huh." He gets on behind Jason.

Jason slides a bit closer to the gas tank, and started up the bike. "Got any helmets anywhere? I need to talk about something."

Tim reaches behind them and produces two helmets. "Here." He offers Jason one, while he pulls on the other.

Jason pulls his on. "The speakers in yours work?" He asks, because they're bats, of course there's a set of mikes and speakers in everything they own.

"Why wouldn't they? You're wearing the spare."

Jason snorts. "Should have guessed. Anyways, how caught up are you on the Percy Jackson series?"

"Percy Jackson and the Olympians, or Heroes of Olympus? Because I've read up to House of Hades. I've been busy."

Jason grinned as he started down the long driveway away from the asylum. "Say Jason and Nico got together. And Nico could read minds. What advice would you give that Jason?"

Tim blinked once. "He should trust Nico won't use it inappropriately? What're you talking about, anyway? That makes no sense."

Jason sighs. "But what if Nico was weirdly hot and made a lot of bad decisions?"

"That sounds like Nico already."

"But like more bad decisions. Like killing people bad decisions."

Tim sighed. "Jason should already know what he's getting into. If Nico is dangerous, then Jason should already know that. So who are you interested in, Jason?"

Jason makes a few turns before he answers. "Um, he's older than me and he has less experience, and I shouldn't like him, but I do and it's awkward as hell. Not that jasico is awkward. I've been needing some girl talk lately, and I guess you're good enough."

Tim blinks once, and nods slowly. "...okay. I'll have you know I am horrible at understanding or articulating feelings."

"But you need me and I need counsel." He pulls onto thirty fifth, counting the streets that he passes as he goes through. "So what should I do."

"...fuck if I know. Hypothetically speaking, you should understand that this person is dangerous. Or whatever."

"I know," Jason groaned, pulling into the parking lot. "Doesn't mean I'm not annoyed that my judgment is clouded."

Tim sighed. "Everyone in this family has faulty judgment. And... well, depending on who you like. There are only a few completely unredeemable villains in Gotham, and I'm pretty sure you don't like any of them."

"Who are they?" Jason asks after he's tugged off the helmet.

"Well, number one is the Joker, who I know you will never like ever. Hush is another, and you don't like him. Uh... technically Scarecrow could be considered unredeemable, but really he just needs the right environment, I think."

"Talk to me about what the 'right environment' would be. Hypothetically."

"Well, I don't know. Clearly the one he's in now isn't working."

Jason nodded. "Why is Hush unredeemable?"

"He's completely insane. He's changed himself so much and so often whatever is left of Thomas Elliot is... unrecognizable."

Jason shuddered. "It's not him, I was just curious."

Tim nods a little. "I know. He isn't your type. You don't like Bruce enough for that."

Jason snorted, finally finding the right key to open up the safe house. "You're not wrong. And, since I know you're thinking about it, who do you think it is?"

"You asked about him, so I'd say Scarecrow. Plus, him having the ability to read minds makes sense given his skillset."

Jason groaned. "Shouldn't have said that. I'm like, the only living person who knows, so either you're not alive or you don't know." Jason gives him a look.

Tim smiles a little. "Technically, according to Arkham's records, Alvin Draper got you out, and you're talking to him. He doesn't exist."

Jason nods. "And I kept my promise and didn't talk to anyone about it."

Tim nods. "Mmhmm."

Jason smiled at him as he goes into the kitchen. "What's the timeline for our thing?"

"Your thing with Scarecrow or the drug ring?"

"Drug ring. Scarecrow can wait."

"Well, I've been researching their activities for a few weeks now, and I believe I've gathered all the data I need. That data would be on this," Tim holds up a USB key. "As far as I can tell, they're holed up in one of the abandoned warehouses by the harbor."

Jason nodded. "The abandoned warehouse one of mine? If I find out they're in one of mine, I can waltz in there like I own the place, 'cuz I do."

"Not sure if it's one you own. Mostly I want your help because you're very good at intimidation, which while something I'm good at, it's always good to have backup."

Jason nodded, and pulled the computer he kept charged on the kitchen counter to himself, and took the USB. "Who'll front this and what stance are we taking? Jail 'em or control 'em?"

"We'll see when we get there. And it's my bust, you're back-up. If you want to go in guns blazing get your own bust."

Jason nods. "Got it. Well, from what I can see, they're not anyone I've met before, and they've avoided my people. And they barely missed my warehouse- we can use that."

Tim nods. "Great."

Jason nods. "It wasn't exactly furnished, but it's got cameras and seats. When were we going to do this?"

"Tonight? tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow. I need to take a shower, find clothes that fit, make sure my shit is up to par, practice a little bit. You staying with me while I get my legs back, or are you gonna take off?"

"Do you want me to stay?" Tim paused, picking up his USB.

"Maybe. How into cuddling are you right now?"

Tim blinked once. "Uh." He glanced down, at the button down and jeans he was wearing. "Cuddling?"

"Shirtless pajama pants cuddling." Jason clarifies. "Three months of sitting on my ass reading romance novels reawakened my inner sap."

Tim blinks a couple times. "Er... okay."

"If you don't want to, you don't have to. I could call Roy or Kori or- hell, Dick. Someone. But you're already here. If you're still fucked over from B, then it's ok."

"No, it's okay. I'm just... Most people have told me I'm not good at the cuddling thing."

"Are you usually the big or little spoon?"

Tim shrugged a little. "I don't mind, you can... do whatever."

"I'm asking what you do so I know what to try." Jason rolls his eyes.

Tim shrugged a little self-consciously. "Steph wasn't big on cuddling. I don't really know. Kon just says I'm terrible."

Jason nods. "I think you should be the big spoon tonight. Should I call Dickie and make it a pile?"

"If you want to?" He glances down a little. He'd been avoiding the others in the family, mostly for... personal reasons.

Jason pauses, then nods. "I think just us'll be fine."

Tim smiles a little gratefully, nodding. "Okay."

Jason grins back at him. "Now, what sounds better, shitty Chinese take out, shitty tofu burgers, or shitty homemade pizza?"

Tim shrugs a little. "I've been having shitty breakfast burritos a lot recently. Go with whatever."

Jason nodded. "Shitty Chinese it is." He taps a few things in on his computer. "Beef and broccoli, general tso's, lo mein with any questionable meat, and orange chicken are your options."

Tim thinks a minute, "I haven't had Orange chicken in a long time, why not."

Jason nods and orders it, as well as the beef and broccoli for himself. "Okay. Want anything else? I have booze and some nonperishable desserts."

Tim shrugs a little. "Nah, I'm good."

Jason nods, and finishes the order. "We should expect that within an hour. They are about a three minute's walk from here."

Tim nods. "Got it."

Jason yawns. "So, what have you been up to? What dramas have I missed? What did Harles do when she broke out last week?"

Tim shrugged a little. "Working with the Titans, working with Connor, working with Babs and Dinah when they ask... and as far as I could tell, Harley grabbed her dogs and disappeared. She probably has something planned for when Ivy or Joker bust out."

"Or maybe she's just hanging around town, doing something fun. She really needs some time of." Jason went to the fridge to grab a can of soda. "Want something to drink?"

Tim blinked. "Got any Zesti?"

He nods, grabbing a bottle of it.

Tim smiles, and mumbles a soft thanks.

Jason leans against the counter, checking his mail. "You would not believe how much junk mail being a crime lord earns you. Fuck."

Tim snorts. "Oh, I think I could guess."

Jason shakes his head. "You'd think I would only be getting important mail. But no."

Tim giggles into his hand, shaking his head. "At least you don't have four different identities who all get surprising amounts of mails and e-mails."

"I have two, and I get more junk mail than I can delete in one sitting. Seriously, there are *hundreds* how did they even get my email address?"

"Depending on the holder you use it may be given to advertisers who fit you interests."

Jason groans. "Knew I shouldn't have gone with gmail. But I didn't want to use B's because that's suspicious, and yahoo is shit, what do you use?"

"To be honest I use Comcast for three of mine. Nobody expects me to use it. Plus, you can turn off advertisers' ability to contact you if you hack into the server."

Jason gave him the best pouty-begging look he can manage. "Please make me one?"

Tim snorts. "Okay, fine. You can use Todd Richards'. I haven't been using it at all that recently."

Jason nods. "Thanks man. What's the information so I can log on?"

Tim pulls out a notepad and scribbles something down. He rips the page off and hands it to Jason. "Here."

Jason grins and logs into it. "Thank you, have I ever told you you're the favorite brother? You're not Dick and you're not demon spawn."

Tim raises his eyebrows. "I thought I was the unfavorite. The pretender, the replacement."

"You're still the pretender and replacement, but you're better than the first, and your replacement is a piece of shit. Who _bites_."

Tim snorts. "He does more than just bite. He stabs, kicks, and throws people off of roofs."

"Real package deal. Sounds like me in the beginning." Jason shakes his head. "He doesn't even have a sense of humor!"

"He's the unholy spawn of Bruce and an assassin." Tim wrinkles his nose. "You'd think the assassin would have had better taste."

"She isn't as bad as you'd think she'd be for B to have been interested." Jason says, gesturing with his can of ginger ale. "And normally her taste is way less shitty."

Tim shook his head. "I've met her. And her father..." He hadn't meant to, but the disgust and... fear, he had for that man seeped into his voice a little.

Jason frowned, and reached out for Tim. "Shush. No talk of the head bitch on that block. He'll ruin the night. Talia's sort of like a mom to me, and while I have a horrible track record with those, she isn't doing too horribly."

Tim shook his head a little. "Alright."

"And she's great for romantic advice. Seriously. I should have called her up."

Tim nods a little. "You should've."

Jason nods. "I'll do that after the bust tomorrow."

Tim nods a bit more. "Alright."

Jason leans on the counter, and pulls up some more things. "What have the titans been up to?"

Tim shrugs. "Doctor Light's been acting up, but nothing we can't handle."

Jason nods. "Anything else? It used to always be busy when I was on it, and with all the wannabees and shit, I can't imagine you having much free time."

"I don't have much free time, but I don't need it."

"Everybody needs free time to do what they don't want to talk about doing." Jason rolls his eyes.

Tim blinks. "I don't need time to do things I don't want to talk about. I can do that while I do research. Multitasking."

"Screw multitasking, you need you time." Jason sips at his ginger ale. "Like watching real housewives or reading shitty novels or softcore pastel blogging. Don't ask why I know that demon spawn is into real housewives."

Tim shook his head. "I'm good."

Jason sighed. "What's a shitty show that you've always wanted to watch."

"I don't have one."

"Everyone has one. Mine is Pretty Little Liars." Jason has a straight face as he says this.

Tim shakes his head. "Don't have one."

Jason frowns. "Dude."

Tim blinks innocently. "Yes?"

"Do you want me to pick out a bad show for us to watch?"

"Okay."

Jason smiled at him. "Have you ever seen glee?"

Tim shakes his head.

"Can we?"

Tim nods.

"Then we shall." Jason smiles. "And the Chinese should get here soon."

Tim nods again.

Jason yawns. "Yeah."

The doorbell rings.

Jason grabs his wallet, and goes to the door. "Hey there Dan, how much do I owe you?" He asks.

Dan smiles. "18 dollars, 68 cents, Jay."

Jason hands him a fifty. "Thanks man." He takes the bag and closes the door.

Tim smiles. "Smells good."

Jason nods. "It's shitty Chinese, it's always good."

Tim nods. "Of course."

Jason hands the orange chicken to Tim.

Tim grabs a fork and heads toward the couch.

Jason grabs a pair of chopsticks and his ginger ale, and starts the first episode of glee.

Tim takes a sip of his Zesti, smiling.

Jason yawns as he starts eating. "I hope you enjoy how shitty this is."

Tim snorts. "I'm sure I will."

Jason nods. "So, what's your romantic history like?"

"Stephanie Brown, Connor Hawke, Conner Kent."

"Are those your currents or your pasts?"

"My entire dating history. Kon is currently dating Cassie, Connor finally admitted his feelings to Kyle, and Steph is with Cass."

"Damn. Looking at anyone else?"

"Well, I was engaged to Tam Fox for a bit, but that was more undercover work than anything else. And aside from that, no, not really."

Jason hummed. "Anyone else?"

Tim shook his head. "No, not really."

Jason bit his lip. "We need to do something about that. You need someone to keep you grounded."

Tim shrugged a little. "I'm fine."

"I've seen you on your bad days, Tim." Jason rolled his eyes.

Tim smiles. "Good thing I haven't had a bad day in months."

"That's not quite the point, Timmy." Jason gestured at him with broccoli. "The point is, you need someone to keep you from going batshit."

"The point of my job is being batshit" Tim argues.

"But that's like, for the public. You're not supposed to be batshit at home."

Tim blinks. "I'm the creepy stalker robin. It's my job to be the weird one."

"But you're being the weird one to like, an exponential degree."

"I don't do things by half."

"Do it in thirds. Third you, third sexy stalker that we don't put in Arkham because we know you'd stalk your way out of it, and third batshit. Remind me again why Selena never snatched you up again?"

"Luck."

Jason laughed at that. "You would've made a sexy catboy. Then maybe we could've met under different circumstances."

Tim shook his head. "I look horrible in leather."

"Spandex? Kevlar? I'm sure she'd find you something."

Tim shrugs. "I could see the burglar aspect. But I dunno."

"She's also really good at stalking. Like once I had her tail me for six blocks before I figured it out."

Tim nods again. "She's talked to me and we've traded tips before."

"I forgot to mention, we were in our civvies and it was at three pm. Not as impressive as you, you did it for years and I never figured it out. Couple of times, I noticed you, but I was sure it was a coincidence."

"I miss being a scrawny kid with a giant camera stalking you. That was fun."

"We can do it again, just for old time's sake. Don't even tell me you're doing it, just do it."

Tim blinks. "Who's to say I haven't been doing it already?"

Jason choked on a mouthful of beef.

Tim continued to eat, looking as innocent as he could. Which was a surprising amount, considering.

"You've been doing what?"

Tim smiled.

Jason stared at him, wide eyed.

Tim snorts.

Jason shudders. "Please let me know the night after you did that."

"I haven't stalked you in years. Your reaction was pretty funny, though."

Jason sighed in relief. "You terrify me."

Tim just grins, before popping a piece of chicken in his mouth.

"And you have to let me see the pictures you take."

Tim frowns. "Do I have to share all of my pictures?"

"Only the current ones. Like, if you stalk me, tell me the day after and share the pictures you take."

"...Maybe."

"I'll do anything if you do."

Tim shrugs. "There's a chance I might tell you. Possibly. If I feel like it."

Jason sighed and went back to eating. "Fine."

Tim nods to him. "So what're we watching?"

"Apparently we're not really watching anything, I don't feel like paying attention to it."

Tim snorts. "Can we watch Samurai Jack? They're marathoning it on Cartoon Network."

He nodded, and switched it from Netflix to Cartoon Network. "I barely remember this show."

"I love Samurai Jack. It was the only show Dad and I could watch together."

"Seriously? I thought it would give him war flashbacks."

"He liked it, and he never went to war. It'd been canceled while he was in his coma though. He never saw the end of it."

"Wait- you mean your real dad. Not B."

"I do mean my real dad. Bruce doesn't watch cartoons."

"B needs to get that stick out of his ass."

Tim nods a little. "He does."

"Has anyone ever checked to see if there's actually one there?"

"Selena has been doing indepth research."

Jason snorted. "And field study?"

"Mmhmm."

Jason laughed. "Good."

Tim smiles. "Yep."

Jason nodded, and sipped at the ginger ale.

Tim takes a swig of his Zesti, smiling at the TV.

Jason sighed. "Yeah."

"Oh, I love this episode." As he speaks, Aku is formed.

Jason has no idea what is going on. He has never actually watched this show before.

The emporer, who accidentally gave Aku life, watches in horror as the demon ravages Japan. Tim grins a little.

Jason is confused, but he still mumbles "same".

Tim glances over. "You have no idea what's happening, do you?"

"None in the slightest." Jason sighs. "If this were anything else, I wouldn't be lost."

"This episode chronicals how Aku came to be. He destroyed the dinosaurs, and, in feudal Japan, an emporer tried to destroy the black goo, but accidentally gave him consciousness."

"I don't know who Aku or the emporer are." Jason says flatly.

"The emporer isn't really important, but Aku is the main villain."

Jason nods. "Alright."

"Oh, there's Jack."

Jason can't stop looking at Tim. "Okay."

Tim smiles, as Jack and Aku banter. You don't see nemesises like this anymore.

Jason finished off his food, and looked back at the screen. "Okay."

Tim puts the remains of his Orange Chicken down, and smiles.

"So," Jason sighs. "I'll be back eventually, showering and shaving sound like the best idea I've ever had."

Tim waves him on, watching as the Emporer makes ready to go and defeat Aku.

Jason gets up and goes to his bathroom, and when he is finally done and clean and happy with how he smells, he goes back to the couch.

The third season finale is playing. Jack has entered a labyrinth and is trying to find a jewel that could send him back to his own time.

Jason wraps his arms around Tim's waist and buries his face in his thigh, not paying attention.

Jack fights a ninja for the right to have the jewel. Tim pats Jason's hair.

Jason hums. "I just realized that I have so much to get caught up on- oh gods, Kyle probably doesn't know where I was. I'm going to have so many missed texts."

"Connor probably told him."

"Connor knows?"

"I talk to Connor all the time."

"Yeah but why did you talk to him about me being in an asylum?"

"I bitched about not being able to break into your safe houses because you were in the asylum." Tim clarifies.

"You still could have broken into my safe houses." Jason rolls his eyes.

"What's the point if you're not there to piss off?"

"I have dozens of safe houses, what are the chances I'll be at the one you break into?"

"Given me being me? 99.9%"

Jason nodded. "Fair enough."

Tim nods a little himself. "You mentioned pajama pants."

"Mhm." Jason nodded. "They're in the room. Upstairs. There's an upstairs here, isn't that great?"

Tim hums. "Wonderful. Episode's about over, did you want to just go up now?"

Jason nods, and reaches out to grab the remote and turn the TV off. "So, what color?"

"I'm partial to green."

Jason smiled, nodding. He started for the stairs. "I have a pair of green fleece plaid pajama pants with your name on them."

"Perfect." Tim stood up after him, walking behind slowly.

Jason yawned loudly, already in a pair of red pajamas. They might have the flashes symbol on the side.

Tim unbuttons his shirt, stifling a yawn of his own.

Jason pulls off his shirt as soon as he's on the second floor, and goes towards the one door- the entrance to the bedroom. Inside it's neat, other than the stacks and stacks of books.

Tim looks around, finding the plaid pants, and slips into the bathroom to change.

Jason rolls his eyes. "You could have changed in here, I'm well aware of what your ass and dick look like."

Tim doesn't respond verbally, but he does poke his fist out of the door. A certain finger could possibly be raised, but it's Tim. Tim's too mature for that.

Jason laughs, loudly. "Thank you."

Tim huffs a soft laugh, stepping out of the bathroom with his clothes folded neatly.

Jason takes the stack and sets it on a marble countertop. "So, let's get into that bed and sleep and pretend it's not barely five pm."

Tim smiles. "Oh, after 48 hours of being awake, I'll manage, somehow."

Jason rolled his eyes. "Yeah."

Tim walks over, yawning again. "Maybe it's been closer to 60 hours..."

"Who lays down first?" Jason asked, stretching.

"I don't know. I don't have enough data to estimate that."

"I will, then you sidle up behind me. Kay?"

Tim nods.

Jason lays down on the bed, moving the bedsheets out of the way- it's August, it's too hot, even in the safe house, for them.

Tim lays on the bed behind Jason, not sure if he should press against the older male's back or not.

Jason half-turns, grabbing Tim's wrist and pulling him closer. "You need to actually touch someone to cuddle, pretender."

"Oh, okay. Noted."

Jason turns over again, still holding Tim's hand. "Now relax."

Tim closes his eyes.

Jason closes his own, taking deep breaths.

Tim has managed to relax. He has downgraded from marble statue to plank of wood.

Jason squeezes Tim's hand, feeling comfortable. "Would talking ruin this?"

"I don't think so?" Tim frowns a little. "I still need more data before I can answer questions with certainty."

"Fine. Would talking about Jon ruin this?"

Tim shrugs a little. "Not in any way I can see at this moment."

Jason hummed. "So I don't know what I'm thinking, but it seems like a really bad idea. He seems like a bad idea. But you know me, I'm all about bad ideas."

Tim shook his head a little. "Not all of your ideas are terrible. Some of them even work, surprisingly."

Jason nods. "I know some of them work, but that doesn't mean they aren't bad."

"If they work, then they serve their purpose and thus are not bad ideas." Tim argues.

"A bad idea is a bad idea is a bad idea." Jason protests.

Tim pokes Jason in the back. "Nuh-uh"

Jason turns to look at him. "Dude."

Tim smiles a little. "Some would say wandering in crime alley late at night with an expensive camera the size of your head is a terrible idea. But it got me where I am today, so it was a good idea."

"It was a bad idea, worse than anything else you've ever had. Okay?"

"Worse than the time I was targeted by the Council of Spiders, was appointed head of the League of Assassins, and used my position to destroy the Council and almost destroy the League under Al Ghul's nose? In a risky move that would have resulted in not only my death but Tam's, along with possibly the destruction of a small country?"

"Definitely worse." Jason smiled.

"The first idea would've only cost my parents hundreds of dollars and gotten myself killed. The second would have killed me, anyone I knew, and Lucius Fox's only daughter, plus, if it had failed, Ra's' plans would have been accelerated and the end of the world would have happened sooner."

"It's a different kind of bad idea." Jason offered.

"I thought you said a bad idea is a bad idea is a bad idea."

"But bad ideas can be in categories too. Like having sex with someone you like at the wrong time versus destroying a planetary system. Both bad ideas."

Tim sighs. "You're impossible."

"You're impossible."

"I don't understand you. Did you know you're the only person in the family I still can't predict?"

Jason grinned. "Good. I do what I need to do, and that if that is unpredictable, then good."

"I know your basic plan and how you operate, but I can never tell what you're going to do next. You surprise me. Not even Kon or Bruce can surprise me anymore."

Jason leaned back into Tim. "Good."

Tim pouts a little. "Sometimes I think I hate you."

Jason laughs. "Even better."

Tim sticks his tongue out. "And yet you're my favorite brother. S'not fair."

"It just says a lot 'bout you." Jason replied. "Same as how you being my favorite brother says a lot 'bout me too."

Tim huffed. "Yeah. But our favorite sibling's still Cass, right?"

"Course. You're not better than Cass." Jason rolled his eyes.

Tim nods. "Just checking."

Jason yawns. "I can't believe there's a chance that I'm gonna date Scarecrow. Like, I might get to cuddle with him. Damn."

"You should figure out if he likes cuddling. If he wants to date."

"He doesn't have any experience and doesn't know what he wants. The last relationship he had wasn't even a relationship and ended with a pumpkin on his head. That was in highschool."

"Okay. Then find out what he's comfortable with. Steph and I spent nearly a year working up from hugs to kissing, and it'll probably be a similar process with you."

Jason nodded.

"And that is literally all the advice I have, because I am not good at feelings. I'm a much better actor."

"Then what would pretimder do?"

Tim wrinkled his nose at the nickname. "If I were in a situation where I needed to seduce Scarecrow, I would look up all of his affiliates and possible interests are. And I would craft the perfect persona to do the seducing. I don't have the information I need. The first step is always research."

"So you're suggesting I research the fuck out of him and learn more than he has told me?" Jason hums. "Sounds close to protocol but I don't think it would help, if I accidentally mention something he doesn't want me to know, the whole thing could end. Badly."

"Then talk to him about what you need to know. You don't need to force a seduction within a time limit, you can take as long as required. Research isn't always bookwork."

Jason smiles. "Alright. And the other thing, the one no one alive knows, how should I approach that?"

Tim shrugs a little. "I don't know how it works. And I bet he won't want to talk about it. You'll have to work that out on your own."

"Got it. And would using it to make him flustered be a good idea?"

"Don't do it in excess. He might not enjoy it if you overdo it"

Jason nods. "Got it."

Tim yawns. "We should sleep now. I could work just as efficiently without, but you require it."

Jason closes his eyes tighter.

Tim leans a little closer, and mumbles softly.

Jason sighs softly, contentedly. This doesn't suck as much as he thought.

Tim is asleep in a few moments, snoring softly.

It takes Jason a few minutes to fall asleep, but when he does, he has awful dreams.

~o~

Tim had underestimated how much manpower this ring had. They had at least twice as many, if not more, and half of that were trained thugs. The guns these guys were using were much more expensive than the accounts Tim had found suggested this ring had access to, and again, Tim should've expected it. He hadn't done enough research, and was silently cursing himself for it.

Jason was across the ring's warehouse, having just finished off a group of guys. "Tim," he hisses into his mike. "What the hell is going on."

"I underestimated. Call me Red or something, Hood." Tim snarled, a little louder and angrier than he meant to, as a bullet grazed his side.

"Sorry," Jason growled. "I'm a little bit focused on not being overwhelmed." Jason closed his eyes. "Fuck."

Tim yelped, as a thug swiped his legs out from under him, and barely managed to roll away from the blow that followed.

Jason opened his eyes just to see something coming at his face. He goes to fight the guy off, but only managed to yell. "Ti- backup!"

"Jay-" Tim scrambles to try and get to his feet, and just as he does something slams into the back of his skull and he's out.

Jason ends up being overpowered, and a hand wraps around his neck, and he can't move and he can't fight back. He passes out.

When Tim wakes up, he feels giggly and calm, sort of like he's drunk, but not really. He's still in the Red Robin suit, which he knows in the back of his head is a good thing, but he can't help the annoyed pout at how mussed his hair must be.

When Jason wakes up, the sun is far past risen and he is alone. He knows Tim is going to laugh when he sees him, so he heads to the warehouse and he frowns when Tim isn't there. Then he goes to the safe house they'd been in the night before, and doesn't find Tin there either. He frowns and goes to Arkham and gets Jon out because he's freaking out. The moment he sees Jon, he sighs in relief. "Can I borrow you?" He asks, even though he's already sure that getting someone out of Arkham constitutes listening to someone's problems and helping them.

Jon blinks once. "Er. I won't say no? What is it?"

"Tim got me out to help him with a job, and then we did it, and I got knocked out and he got knocked out and I can't find him and no one's heard from him." Jason is babbling. Jason needs to smoke.

Jon reaches out and places a hand on Jason's shoulder, frowning. "Did you finish the job? If both of you were knocked out then the obvious course would be to check that. Perhaps you'll find him there."

"The place was deserted." Jason closed his eyes. "I should have thought of that, but I might have a concussion and I'm tired and I'm freaking out."

Jon nods slightly. "I'm sure Timothy did a good amount of Reconnaissance, perhaps you should check his files for possible back-up hide-outs your targets might use?"

Jason nodded. "I have a USB at one of my safe houses."

Jon nods once. "Look through it, and find anything. Timothy strikes me as a man who cites his sources, so check those as well."

"You need to come with me." Jason started messing with the ring on his left hand. "Please."

Jon inclines his head once. "I will, don't worry. But it would be better if I broke out on my own. I've been biding my time, you know. Wouldn't do to waste a perfectly good plan."

"I just got you out?" Jason gestured behind him.

Jon glances around. "We're in the gardens and I am currently not on parole. We are not out, and you really should just let me do this." Jon smiles a little. "I've bee doing this longer than you. Let me have my fun."

Jason blinked. "But I handed a guard about three grand when j asked to see you, and they started getting your shit. I wasn't planning on leaving without you."

Jon blinked once. "Well. That is a considerable amount of money." He shakes his head.

"And it's getting your ass out of here. Like, within the hour. Legally. No parole required."

Jon sighed. "Ruin my fun, that's what it's doing."

"I'm past caring about fun, I'm in full blown panic right now." Jason gestures at his face. "B taught us how to stay focused when we're afraid, and right now my favorite brother is missing and I have gone soft from all those romance novellas."

Jon pats Jason's cheek. "He'll be fine. The Bat is nothing if not thorough, and Timothy is doubtless capable of handling whatever those thugs had on them. He'll be fine."

"It's a drug ring, Jon." Jason sighs. "They're selling some new shit called radiance."

Jon blinks once, and frowns, pressing a hand to his chin. "Hm. A few of my old subjects talked about it. It makes one feel... calm, almost to nirvana levels. They were unclear on its addictive properties, but I'm sure it isn't the worst thing to be pumped full of."

"Still." Jason covers his face. "It's Tim. He's the one being pumped full of shit. Not Dick, not Damian, Tim. He's the one who I care about most in the damn family, because he's the only one who really picked me. Did you know he stalked Dick and Bruce and me for years? Fucking crazy, right?"

Jon nods slowly. "I, along with the other rogues, know you and the other Robins' basic histories. We don't all know specifics, but Selena was very vocal about how she regrets not finding him before the Bat did."

"Wish she had. Then I could have met him sooner, not been, not been this when I met him." He gestures at himself.

Jon frowns a little. "Thinking self-derogatory things will not help, Jason. Now, are we going to that safe-house and doing more research, or what?"

"We are." Jason gestures at the orderly holding a brown bag filled with Jon's stuff.

Jon takes it with a nod. "Alright. Lead the way."

The orderly leads Jon to a bathroom for him to change in- they want his outfit back so that they can have it ready for his next visit- and Jason knows they expect another visit from Jon. He can tell.

Jon comes out in his Scarecrow costume, noose hanging from his neck and Mask in hand. He has a bag of unused fear toxin canisters in his other hand.

Jason holds his hand out for the bag. "Only while you're in my car. After that I'll give it back to you."

Jon hands it over, smiling. "You know I have needles filled with it in the gloves and the straw sprays it when it breaks, don't you? Perhaps it's best if we stop by a lair of mine first?"

"So you can change into civvies?" Jason says hopefully.

Jon nods once.

Jason sighs in relief and goes down the steps to his car. "Thank fuck. Your suit is creepy as hell."

Jon laughs. "That's the point."

"Well aware, dude." Jason rolls his eyes, setting the bag in the back seat and slipping into the drivers seat. "Still."

Jon just shakes his head, still chuckling. "One would wonder why you seek me out, if I bother you."

"You don't bother me." Jason's eyebrows furrow. "Just your suit and persona and hobby."

Jon hums softly. "There is little left to me, when you strip those away."

"You're a doctor." Jason replies. "You used to be a professor, you're an inch and an overdose from being ace, but you're playing along with me being attracted to you anyways. You deal with Eddie and you're smart and you made the fear toxin's baby self in like, high school. And you deal with Eddie."

"I made the fear toxin in College, I made the original Scarecrow costume in Highschool, modified from the suit my Grandmother had me wear once upon a time." Jon sighs. "I 'deal' with Edward by ignoring him, and the only reason I haven't overdosed on the toxin is because I had bad lab procedure in the beginning and managed to start my immunity as I went along with its creation."

"So only like three things I said were wrong. That's progress." Jason smiles. "Where's your place?"

"I have clothing stashed in an abandoned hotel, and at Jervis's apartment."

"Hotel it is. Where is it?" Jason revs the engine and starts down the driveway.

"Just inside Crime Alley, there's a giant Vacuum cleaner statue on top of it."

Jason smiles. "I know the place. What room are you?"

"Second floor, rooms 215 through 218 had their walls broken down, it had plenty of room for experimentation."  
  
Jason nods. "I have some shit on the first floor, 104. It's sort of neutral ground there, since Rey moved a bar in."

Jon nods once, humming. "Wonderful. I believe Edward laid claim to the vacuum cleaner, and Ivy owns all of floor 5."

Jason snorts. "Harley has 105-115, and I don't blame her. She's got a lot of shit. At least she doesn't mind giving me her number so we can talk."

Jon nods. "I'm sure. Jervis also unofficially owns floor three, but Ivy and I can use the floor if we so please."

He nods. "I will stay far from floor three."

Jon snorts. "I don't understand your aversion to Jervis. He is far from the worst man."

"He reminds me of myself, and things I did before I met B." Jason looks anywhere but Jon, which ends up being good because he's driving.

Jon frowns. "Jervis had a mental break from a mixture of stress and an unfortunate encounter. He's been working on fixing it, but therapists and what not only help him so much. His situation isn't anything like your own."

"No, Jon." Jason shakes his head. "Not his situation. His appearance. How he talks. What he does. Everything. I don't know. I'm just, I'm not comfortable and I haven't gotten over it, okay?"

Jon nods slowly. "Ah. Alright. Well, it's unlikely you'll be forced to run into him anytime soon, he's almost completely clean, now."

Jason nods. "Okay." He pulls onto the road leading to the hotel, and looks out for the turn. "You going in alone or?"

Jon pauses, as he starts to unbuckle. "Did you want to come along? The rooms are far from private, and perhaps whatever's left in them might help you. It's your choice, regardless."

Jason pulls into the parking lot and stills the car, reaching back to grab Jon's bag. "You got a gas mask?"

"My mask serves as one. If you'd like to use it, you may."

"Got a smoke machine full of your shit?"

Jon waves toward the bag. "If I had one on me, it's in there. I'm sure there's one in the rooms, if there isn't there."

"Just, get a lot of it. I'm in an emotional and upset mood and spreading your dose of love and cheer sounds great."

Jon hums softly. "Of course." He steps out of the car, waving, and walks toward the building.

Jason leans back in the car, closing his eyes and trying to calm down. If talking about Tetch made him nervous, thinking about Tim made him downright frightened.

Jon came back in a few minutes, dressed in a sweater, patched coat, and jeans, with a large smoke-machine cradled against his chest.

Jason has opened his eyes by then, and he smiles and can't help but think that he loves Jon right now before he shakes his head and unlocks the car.

Jon gently places the smoke machine in the back, before getting back into his seat.

Jason nods. "Now my place, then we rescue a former boy wonder and you get to scare the living fuck out of a drug ring. Consider it your welcome home present."

Jon smiles a little. "Good thing we kept the mask. Wouldn't do to go without it."

"Yeah, I'm surprised you didn't just bundle it up."

"Well, I can't actually fold it. There's a functioning gas mask set inside it, along with lenses for the eye-pieces." Jon explains.

"The it I was referring to was your suit, sorry." Jason smiles at him.

"That would risk breaking the straw, which would, of course, flood your car with toxin."

"Put it in the trunk?" Jason volunteered.

Jon shook his head a little. "I'd rather not risk it. I've seen you on the toxin, and I'd rather not die in a car crash if you lose control."

Jason smiles at him. "That's sweet." He starts the car. "As soon as we have Tim, I am going to take a very long nap." He knows he won't. He'll write the incident reports and cry and make sure Tim is okay, but it will take him forever to actually get to sleep.

Jon hums softly. "Perhaps I'll join you." He rather doubts there will be any sleeping, and he suspects Timothy will need supervision.


	4. Chapter 4

Jason nods. "Maybe we could cuddle."

Jon nods a little. "Perhaps."

Jason acts as if that doesn't make him want to giggle a bit crazily as he pulls into the parking lot in front of the safe house he'd been at with Tim. It looks clean and pretty and trashy, but Jason is well aware of how homey the inside truly is. The giggles at the back of his throat turn into sobs, but he doesn't let either out. Why is he freaking out so much? What changed?

Jon doesn't acknowledge how Jason looks like he's about to have a panic attack. He brings his mask and his inhaler in with him.

When Jason gets into the safe house, he grabs a bottle of water and nurses it as he goes through the files on the USB. His everything hurts. He misses Tim. He needs to smoke.

Jon squeezes Jason's shoulder. "Perhaps you should lie down. I can find the required information, you take the opportunity to recuperate."

Jason looks at him over his shoulder, and his vision is blurry. Maybe the fear gas from the broken straw was fucking with him. "I'm concussed." He replies. "Don't let me slip into a coma before I get to see Tim again."

Jon nods. "Wouldn't dream of it. Now either go eat something or move over, you're clearly not doing this efficiently."

Jason sets his water bottle down on the counter and heads for the couch.

Jon sits in front of the computer, and begins going through the information.

Jason closes his eyes and does proactive things like removing clothing that is not vital, but that does nothing to change the simple fact that he is unable to sleep. 

He tries to remember the last time he couldn't sleep and what he did then.

Jon finds something. "It says here one of the ring's leaders owns a rather shady hotel. Would that be a good place?"

"Mmhmm." Jason calls as loudly as he can mumble. He ends up being sure Jon can hear him and slightly proud.

Jon nods once, before glancing at Jason. "I'm beginning to think it would be best to hand you to someone else who will ensure your health while I stage the rescue effort."

"No." Jason shakes his head. "I just need help sleeping, and a power nap."

Jon hums softly. "Would tea work? Or perhaps hot chocolate?"

"I'd'know." Jason's words blur together as he slowly sits up.

"That's why I asked, Jason." Jon reaches out, pressing rather cold fingers to Jason's forehead.

Jason's eyes close again, and the feeling of someone touching him is better than the fact that Jon's hands are fucking cold. "Hmm."

Jon frowns, and presses the back of his hand to Jason's forehead. "You have a fever."

"No I don'." Jason replies stubbornly. The words "robin doesn't get sick" is on his tongue before he bites his tongue and leaves it at the first three words. He thinks that he is sick. It makes sense. He'll still deny it from here to hell and back, but he is.

Jon frowns. "I'm a doctor, I would know."

"And I need to sleep and nap and get Tim." Jason opens his eyes again. The light is not his favorite thing. He wants to smoke.

"Then sleep. I'll begins preparations." He runs his fingers through Jason's hair.

Jason starts to say that he can't sleep, but he closes his eyes and tilts his head towards Jon when the fingers move from his forehead to go through his hair. He loses the words, and can't think of what he wants to say.

Jon continues to pet Jason's hair, humming softly. He starts mumbling a nursery rhyme, mostly out of habit.

Jason bites his lip, and he can't help but relax. Shift. Not want to move but want to lay down again.

"Little boy blue, come blow your horn..." Jon doesn't quite sing, but he does continue to pet Jason's hair, gently guiding the younger man until he was lying down with his head in Jon's lap. "The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn..."

Jason pulls the blanket from the back of the couch over him, and he listens to Jon and he wishes he wasn't sick so he could really enjoy it.

Jon continues to not-sing. "Where is that boy, who looks after the sheep?" He writes down the address of the hotel, for later use, and begins sketching out a plan. "Under the haystack, fast asleep."

Jason might be close to sleep and he might want to cry. The two aren't connected.

"Will you wake him? Oh no, not I..." Jon continues to pet him. "For if I do, he will surely cry."

Jason falls asleep, finally, his breathing steadying out and his shoulders slumping.

~o~

"...could you help me with some research? You know the drug, Radiance. Yes, that one. I need information about its creation and side effects. And any information about overdosing and such."

Jason wakes up, his eyes fluttering open, to hear that and see a blonde with a pale 

face uncomfortably close to him. "Hey sugah!" She says, patting his face. "You're awake, that's good. Tell me where you are and what year this is."  
He looks at her weirdly, blinking. "Uh, 2014? I think? And I'm in one of my safe houses- the one with the shitty Chinese place."  
She nods. "Good, good. Jonny called me to help rescue Red Robby. And to help you out while he calls in a few more favors- nice place you got here. I knew I saw Jonny get into your car earlier today!"  
Jason sits up slowly, yawning. "Uh huh."

"I know you don't have that information yet, I want you to get it for me. Yes I'll help you, I just have things to do before hand."

Jason gets up slowly, wrapping the blanket around himself and gesturing at the stairs. "I'm gonna go... Change. Coffee. Need coffee." Harley jumps up. "Make it yourself, sugah, I'm not your maid. I'm here for the party and to make sure you're all okay."

Jon presses a hand to the receiver. "Harleen, would you be a dear and get me a pen and paper? I need to write some things down for Thomas."

She nods, going to get a notebook and a handful of pens- all red- from Jason's living-room-desk. She sets it down in front of Jon, and Jason decides to stumblr upstairs and pretend that this isn't weird.

Jon smiles at her, and goes back to the conversation. It lasts about 3 hours.

Jason stays in his room the majority of that time, texting Roy. Roy offers to come over. Jason declines. He also snapchats Oracle and apologizes profusely.

Babs just sends a picture of Steph and Cass passed out on the couch.  
Jon has finished talking to Thomas, who is now finding every scrap of information about Radiance he can. Jon has agreed to help after the rescue mission, of which Hush will not take part.

Jason comes back downstairs to see Harley eating the largest mufin he has ever seen in his life, and Jon still talking on the phone. He begins to make some lunch, because he is tired and unmotivated. And sick.

"Hello, Dent? Ah, pleasure to be speaking with you. I want to call in one of my many favors."

Jason makes enough food for four. He does not want to know. Harley sits on the counter next to him, the muffin gone.

Jon smiles to himself, speaking quietly now. "I want you to take over a certain ring, for me. watch it closely and... nudge it in the correct direction. Would you do that?"

Harley starts talking about how Ivy is doing, and how she's been working on some things since she got out. Jason offers her a bowl of food as soon as he finishes.

Jon puts the phone down, finally, and rolls his shoulder.

Jason offers him a bowl of questionable food.

Jon takes it, and begins eating.

Jason begins eating from the pot, with the wooden spoon he used to prepare it. "So, game plan." He says, unenthused. Harley, waves her hand for Jon to say it.

"I called Harleen here to help with the physical rescue and both her and Thomas will be helping with research and recovery. The actual rescue plan is as yet only a basic 'go in, grab Timothy, get out'."

Jason nods. "And what's the security like? What floor? Am I going?"

"From what I've gathered from Timothy's research and what I've gathered myself, this ring has at least two hidden bank accounts and a very extensive network of thugs and such. Very well guarded, but nothing meta-human. None would be immune to my toxin."

"So we're just gonna barge in? Am I allowed to go?" Jason repeats the second question.

Jon frowns. "If we were going without you we'd have gone by now."

Jason nods. "I just need to get my guns and my shit first, okay?"

Jon hums softly.

Jason goes to where he keeps them, and then he comes back and resumes eating the food.

Jon continues eating his own questionable meal.

Jason yawns around the spoon, then blinks at them. "Do not let me drive."

Jon nods once. "Wasn't planning on it."

Harley laughs and taps Jason's nose with her finger. "Not a chance, sugah. I'd let Mistah J drive drunk before I let you drive sick."  
Jason wrinkles his nose, and shakes his head.

Jon hums once.

Jason grabs a bottle of ginger ale from the fridge, and Harley grabs a can of sprite. Jason looks at Jon. "Want something?"

"I'm good. Thank you."

Jason nods, and makes sure the burner's off. "Can we go now?"

Jon puts the food down. "Of course."

Harley leads the way out the door, and Jason sends one last text to Babs- another apology. He turns off his phone.

Jon sits in the back with his vials of toxin and mask.

Harley drives, Jason sits in the passenger seat and closes his eyes. Harley turns on some music that Jason knows isn't on any station and that he doesn't own, but he doesn't question it.

Jon starts singing again. "Hush little baby, don't say a word. Daddy's gonna buy you a diamond ring."

Jason opens one eye. "Don't sing, I'll fall asleep again. Seriously. Please."

Jon pauses. "Apologies."

"It's okay, but do you think that later you can sing for me? Again?" Harley hoots at that.

Jon coughs once. "Strange. Most people don't like my singing." He smiles a little. "I've made people cry from doing it before. But if you want, I will."

Jason nods. "It's weirdly comforting. Or maybe it was you petting me like a cat that did that. Or maybe I'm fucked up, concussed, and sick."

Jon hums once.

Jason sips at the ginger ale. "This will be interesting, to say the least." Harley nods.

~o~

Tim isn't sure what day it is or where he is. Logically this should make him worried, but he couldn't. Whatever. Oh, there were explosions happening. Pretty colors.

Jason is still wearing the Scarecrow mask when he reaches Tim, who is sitting, dazed, in a chair. His hands are zip tied to the chair arms, and his ankles zip tied to each other. Jason breaks the zip ties and pats Tim's face.  
"Tim? Timmy?"

Tim blinks a few times, the eye-pieces of the Red Robin costume crinkling at the corners. "You shouldn't call me that when I'm wearing the mask."

Jason squints, and looks over Tim. "Mhm. You doing good?"

"I can't feel anything but calm and that should worry me but I can't feel anything but calm."

"You are feeling enough for both of us, baby bird." Jason kisses his head. "I'm sick and you're coming with me."

"Okay. Where're you taking me? And where's the real Scarecrow."

"In the other room, with a smoke machine of fear gas." Jason helps Tim up.

"Oh. Okay. Why're you wearing his mask?"

"Because I am emotionally compromised and he likes me back, I think."

"Oh, good. Good for you." Tim pats Jason's cheek.

Jason smiles. "Too bad you're not always like this." He leads Tim through the door.

"I don't really like it, to be honest with you. It feels wrong. But it doesn't actually bother me."

"I just like the part where you're nice. The rest isn't fun, and getting clean will be hell."

"I'm always nice, excuse you."

Jason rolls his eyes. "Uh huh."

Tim shoves at him a little, bitchface activated. "I am perfectly cor- codi- cordi- fuck, I am perfectly nice to you at all times."

Jason stumbles, unable to keep from laughing. "Really?"

Tim nods. "Of course."

Jason squeezes Tim's shoulder. "Of course."

Tim leans on him. "I'm glad you're here."

Jason nods. "I came to get you because it's my fault you got caught." They'd been walking awhile, and had failed to run into anyone.

Jon peeks into the room, a frown etched onto his face. "Will you hurry up already? I can't gas anyone without a mask of my own."

Jason smiled, gesturing at Tim. "I'm sick and weak and unable to pick this snail up."

Tim huffs. "I can walk in a straight line." He argues, as he sways and nearly falls over.

Jason pulls him back to his side. "See?"

Jon huffs. Tim sticks his tongue out.

Jason beckons for Jon. "Help me."

Jon steps out and grabs one of Tim's arms, guiding the younger male into the room and none too gently dropping him on the ground.

Jason follows, frowning. "You are awful at this. I am also awful at this."

"My bedside manner is as good as I was required to make it." Jon states flatly. Tim starts humming to himself.

"Can we just leave already?" Jason crosses his arms.

"You and Harleen can leave, I haven't used an ounce of Fear Toxin."

Jason tosses him his mask. "Come back to the house when you're done." He grabs Tim and leads him towards the exit.

Jon pulls it on, humming. Tim wanders along behind Jason. "Old King Cole was a merry old soul, And a merry old soul was he..."


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Addy is a meta human Oc of Kymopoleia's  
> we hope you like her

Once he's finished scaring the Ring straight, he finishes it off with an explosion. The thugs are mostly unhurt, but all of them scream in terror. Jon steps out into the street, pulling his mask back off with a huff.

Addy heard the explosion while sitting at the foot of the stairs that led up to her family's apartment, waiting for her mother to come back. Knowing that her mother came from the same direction of the explosion, she frowned, stood shakily (her ears were ringing) and started to walk towards the sound, bachelor buttons popping up every time she took a step. It took her a few minutes to get to where the explosion was, and she couldn't find her mom, but she could see something better- a tall, skinny man, whose face she couldn't really make out, due to his height. She heads for him and she grabs a handful of his sweater. "Mom." She says, deciding that he might as well be, if she can't find her original.

Jon glances down, frowning. "What?"

"Mom." Addy repeats, daisies growing around her feet, and even budding under hand on his sweater (she can feel them under her fingers).

Jon frowns a bit more. "Are you looking for yours?"

Addy shakes her head. Her mass of curly, dark brown hair bounces.

Jon frowns. "...Alright. I have to check on a friend of mine, do I have to bring you along?"

Addy nods again, her grip tightening on his sweater. The daisies beneath her fingers poke between them to avoid being crushed.

Jon nods. "...Alright. Come along." Jon doesn't notice the flowers.

Addy smiles and follows him, still holding onto his sweater.

Jon leads her to Jason's safe-house. Thomas was already there, with Jason, Timothy and Harleen. Jon hadn't told Thomas where the safe-house was.

In Addy's nervousness, daisies continue to pop up behind her.  
Jason is sleeping, and Harley raises an eyebrow when she sees the little girl. "What do you got there, Jonny?"

"It won't leave me alone." He gently disentangles her fingers from his sweater, and gives that hand to Thomas, who was the closest to him at the time. He walks out of the room.

Addy looks up at Thomas in annoyance. She doesn't like how his fingers feel.

Thomas's hands were covered in bandages, as was his face. He blinks down at her. "Greetings."

"You're not my mom." She replies.  
Harley comes closer and kneels in front of her. "Are you looking for your mom?" She asks.  
Addy shakes her head. "I know exactly where Mom is."

Thomas lets go of her hand after a minute, going to check on Tim, who is passed out on the couch.

Harley frowns. "Then why'd you attach yourself to Jonny?"  
Addy crosses her arms and refuses to reply- she's pretty sure Jonny is the same person as her new mom, but still.

Thomas doesn't say anything, but he thinks Jon is probably mom. They sound similar.

Addy stares at Harley, and Harley stares back. Jason is beginning to snore.

Jon walks back in, carrying a cup of coffee and a plate of food. "What is it?"

Harley looks back at him. "So what's the plan, Jonny-boy?" She glances back at Addy, only to find the six year old had already crossed the room to reattach to Jon's sweater.

Jon grunts, handing Addy a sandwich, and glances at Thomas. "Harvey is to take over what is left of the ring, and Thomas is to help our two friends recover."

"I meant with the girl, but that's all good too." She smiles. Addy obediently eats the sandwich, even though she isn't really hungry, because she trusts her new mother.

Jon frowns at Harley. "I do not have any plans." He glances down at her, again. "I haven't introduced myself properly. I am Jonathan Crane. You are...?"

"Addy White." She replies, and part of her feels that there is something else she needs to say, but she can't think of it, so she doesn't, and waits for her mom to ask her something else.

Jon nods once. "Nice to meet you. The _perfectly nice_ woman over there is Harleen, the man who I handed you to earlier is Thomas, the idiot on the couch is Jason and his equally unconscious brother is Timothy."

Addy had barely noticed the boys on the couches, because they weren't important. She nods, looking back at Harley. Harley smiles at her.

Thomas checks Tim's temperature, smiling to himself a little.

Jason rolls on the couch, landing on the floor, his head narrowly missing the corner of the coffee table. Addy snorts, and geraniums pop up around her feet.

Jon glances down, and frowns at the flowers, before writing them off as something that had already been there.

Harley starts laughing as she leaves the room to do better things in other rooms, or possibly leave. It cannot be sure what Harley does when she is not with Ivy or the Joker.  
Addy looks back up at Jon, and makes a small, thoughtful noise.

Jon takes a sip of his coffee. Thomas kneels down, checking Jason's condition.

Jason is still snoring contentedly, and Addy tugs on Jon's sweater. "What color are your eyes? I can't see them, you're too tall."

Jon kneels down, tilting his head after a second. "Brown."

Addy puts her hands on his cheeks, narrowing her eyes. Some red poppies and flax flowers pop up in her hair and on the floor by her feet.

Jon blinks at her, continuing to fail to notice the flowers appearing. "Is that all?"

"No. Yes. Maybe." She keeps staring.

Jon gently pulls his glasses off, frowning. "Are you sure?"

"No. Your eyes are pretty." She keeps staring.

Jon blinks. "If you say so."

"Your eyes look like mine." She adds. "And my eyes are pretty."

Jon smiles a little, shaking his head.

Addy pats his cheek, smiling in satisfaction. Mom smiled, and therefore, *mom agreed*.

Thomas glances at them. He walks past, to get to the kitchen. Tim grunts.

Addy pulls her hands back, looking at the boys on the couch. Well, she should probably call them adults, but they sort of look like her mother's coworker friend, all young and strong and light and dark haired. She narrows her eyes, and walks towards the one on the floor, leaning over to look at him.

Jon stood, smiling slightly. Tim curls up, sighing.

Addy stares at Jason, then straightens and returns to her mother.

Jon glances down at her, before offering his hand rather than his sweater. He doesn't particularly know where he's going. Maybe he'll find a room, maybe he'll go to his apartment. He's unsure.

Addy takes the proffered hand, smiling. This was good, a good sign. She begins to hum, her free hand tapping on her leg. Part of her wants to go back home, and get her things, but she doesn't know what would happen if her first mother was there. Somehow, deep down, she knows she won't be.

"Do you need something?"

She looks up at her new mom. "Maybe. I don't suppose you've got size seven girl shoes and striped tights laying around."

"I rarely have clothing that fits myself. Would you rather pick up your own clothing, if you have it, or shall I... procure some myself?"

"I have some at the apartment, but it's locked and I don't have a key- Momma has the key." She adds the extra sound at the end, to differentiate between the two moms. Otherwise it would be plain confusing.

Jon grunts. "I could get us in if that's required. Do you want to go?"

She nods. She isn't too fixated on her things, but it would be nice to get them. She hopes no one is looking for her.

Jon hums, and leads her out of the apartment, deciding simply to walk there, rather than try and drive or something. "Would you be able to lead me there? Are you familiar with the area?"

"Not really. Just take me back to the hotel, and then I know my way from there." Addy squeezes his hand when sirens start. She knows it's irrational, but sirens, and the people behind them, scare her. Her first mom would always freak out around them, in their not-black suits. She'd get mad when Addy's flowers popped up around them. She tries to stop them, but more pop up instead, and a bunch start growing on her clothing and even in her hair. Addy bites her lip to keep from freaking out herself- her new mom hasn't noticed the flowers yet, she doesn't want him to get upset. If she's right, he's the only mom she has right now.

Jon glances at the police, and gently tugs Addy into an alley. The police pass by, 

and Jon glances down at her. "...Those weren't there before. The flowers."

Addy's grip tightens, and she looks away, more flowers budding in her nervousness.

"Is that a special ability of yours? Interesting. I have one of my own, would you like to guess it?"

She looks up at her new mom. "What is it?"

"I can read minds. I don't use it much, and I don't tell others, but I think I can trust you." He smiles a little, tapping her nose. "Can I do that?"

Addy smiled widely, nodding. "Yes, mom."

Jon snorts. "I'm not you mother, child. I have never had any children." He stands up straighter, and glances out the alley. "Alright, we're heading to the hotel first, right?"

Addy nodded. "I was home when I heard the-" she frowns, unable to think of the right word for the explosion.

Jon nods once. "You heard my work from your apartment? It's rather close, then."

Addy nods again. "Yeah. Really close."

Jon hums. They get to the Hotel, in a few minutes.

Addy leads then, taking them down the street until she reaches the stairs. She glances at her new mom.

Jon walks forward, pulling out a hairpin he'd swiped from Harleen, hanging out with Selena has its perks, and begins picking the lock.

Addy watches him, then when the door is open, enters first.

Jon follows her, letting a syringe fall down his sleeve and into his hand.

The apartment is full of flowers. They're growing from the floor, the walls, dangling from the ceiling, everywhere. Addy blushes, and grabs one of her backpacks and starts filling it with her things.

Jon glances around, keeping his syringe in hand, in case he needs it. "Do you need any help?"

She nods. "I need to go look at something." She points at a closed door.

"Alright. Call me if you need me."

Addy nods, and goes into the room. She makes sure to close the door behind her, biting her lip as she does. The room is her mother's, and it has no flowers in it at all. She runs her hand over her mother's things, and grabs some of the things she's always wanted to touch and have, putting them in her bag. Nothing stops her.

Jon simply waits. As he does, he ends up humming a nursery rhyme.  
"Little Robin Redbreast sat upon a tree..."

After Addy finishes in her mother's room, she returns to Jon, and smiles at him. She starts gathering more things in her bag- clothing, shoes, anything.

Jon smiles at her, continuing to sing to himself. "Up went Pussy-Cat, down went he. Down came Pussy-Cat, away Robin ran, Says little Robin Redbreast: 'Catch me if you can!'"

Addy stuffs the bag full, then pulls on a coat and a scarf. "Done."

Jon smiles at her, and stops singing. "Is that all? Did you want to stop anywhere 

else?"

Addy shakes her head at him, lifting the bag higher onto her shoulder.

Jon nods once. "We can either head back to Jason's Safe-house, or we can stop by an apartment of mine. Which would you rather do?"

Addy thought for a minute. She didn't know where she wanted to go. It was getting chilly in Gotham, and chilly did not mix well with her. And while the place- Jason's safe house- had been warm, she hadn't exactly liked the people there all too much. They'd take time. She shrugs.

Jon shakes his head. "Alright. I really should head back to the safe-house, but people exhaust me. Is the apartment alright?"

Addy nods.

Jon nods as well, and offers his hand, mostly so she won't tug his sweater out of shape.

Addy takes his hand again, smiling a little bit. "Is the apartment far? We've walked a lot today."

"It's rather close to here, actually. I'm a little surprised." Jon admits, leading her out of the apartment after locking it behind them.

Addy sighs in relief, squeezing his hand.

Jon squeezes back, and leads her down the street and to another apartment building.

Addy hums as she looks around the building. "What floor?"

"2nd. I have the key hidden by the door."

Addy nods again. "Don't you worry about people getting in?"

"What idiot would break into a known supervillain's apartment?" Jon smiled a little.

Addy looks up at him. "Someone who wouldn't get caught?"

"There is no such person, given there are two supervillains who live here." Jon pulls the key from... somewhere, and unlocks the door.

"Who's the second?" Addy asks, even though she doesn't actually know who her mom is.

"Edward. Some may know him as the Riddler." Jon glances inside, and finds that Eddie is already there, sitting in the living room and reading one of Jon's books.

Addy nodded again, looking around the apartment.

Jon walks over to Edward, who looks up and grins. "I was under the impression you were still in Arkham." Jon notes.

Addy wasn't very up to date on the big bads of Gotham, but she usually heard when they did something. She blinks at the man on the couch, and decides that she'll figure out what he is some other time.

Eddie laughs, and Jon frowns at him. "Jonny! You should pay more attention! I haven't been there in weeks."  
"I talked to you there two days ago."  
"Well then that's a riddle you'll need to solve on your own, isn't it?"


End file.
